Note there is no single fixed definition of a scooter (also known by the full name motor-scooter), but generally a smaller motorcycle with a step-through frame is considered a scooter, especially if it has a floor for the rider's feet (as opposed to straddling the vehicle like a conventional motorcycle). Other common traits of scooters can include: bodywork (so the mechanicals are not exposed like a conventional motorcycle), motors combined with the suspension or wheel (rather than attached to the frame like a conventional motorcycle), leg shields, smaller wheels than a conventional motorcycle, and an alternative to a chain drive.[1]
Scooters share traits with mopeds (some models could even be considered both a moped and a scooter). Adding to the confusion between them, in many jurisdictions smaller engined scooters (e.g. 50cc) are road registered in the same legal category as mopeds (often named "Moped" class), leading to scooters being casually referred to as "mopeds" in such areas.[2] Underbones also share traits with scooters (e.g. small and step-through design), but they are generally not strictly considered scooters in the purest sense as they do not have a floor, but they are often casually referred to as scooters (especially ones with leg shields).
Manufacturer / brand | Nationality | Group / notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Italy/Taiwan | ADIVA S.r.l. - Maxiscooters (200-400) with a foldable roof; initial scoters in 2000 were collaborations with Benelli.[3] Largely Taiwanese built range. | ||
Taiwan | Her Chee Industrial Co Ltd; previously US market brands included AMS, Jui Li, and Grycner (using German supplied Sachs 505 engines). Currently Taiwanese built range. | ||
Taiwan | Aeon Motor | ||
United Kingdom | Manufactured in China (from 2002)[4] [5] | ||
Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA. | ||
Italy | Askoll Group; all electric range[6] | ||
Avangan | Iran | Manufacturer of electric scooters | |
India | Bajaj Auto Ltd
| ||
China | Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd, or Jiangmen Sino-HongKong Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd. | ||
Italy | Qianjiang Motorcycle (Geely Holding Group) | ||
Italy | |||
Germany | BMW Motorrad | ||
Czech Republic | Project by DEVS that was operated in the now liquidated company Čezeta Motors s.r.o. | ||
China | Partners with KTM | ||
India | |||
United States | Genuine Scooter Company
| ||
Brazil | Itavema Group; assembler of various Asian manufactured scooters | ||
South Korea | Formerly named Daelim Motor Company and Daelim Motorcycle, renamed DNA Motors in 2021; however the Daelim brand name is still used in some markets (e.g. UK). | ||
Spain | Piaggio & C. SpA. | ||
Italy | Range of folding mopeds[9] | ||
Italy | All electric; produced by Baotian[10] | ||
China | Geely Motorcycle/Jiming, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group | ||
United States | Genuine Scooter Company
| ||
Germany/Poland | All electric range; based in Germany, manufactured in Poland | ||
Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA. | ||
Taiwan | Gogoro Inc. | ||
India | Hero MotoCorp (formerly Hero Honda). Models include Hero Pleasure and Hero Maestro | ||
Japan | Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
| ||
Italy | Italjet Dragster (1998—2003). A rebooted Dragster was put in production in 2022. | ||
Poland | |||
Japan | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | ||
KR Motors (Hyosung) | South Korea | KR Motors Co. Ltd, formerly a division of the Hyosung Group and manufactured products sold as Hyosung brand, part of LVMC Holdings (2014). | |
Taiwan | Kwang Yang Motor Co, Ltd | ||
Switzerland | Lambretta GmbH (joint venture of the Swiss Lambretta Consortium/Innocenti SA. and the Austrian KSR Group); V models designed by Austrian firm Kiska, and produced in Asia based on SYM mechanicals. Later models include the G350, a monocoque steel chassis design.[11] | ||
China | Lifan Industry (Group) Co., Ltd.; production facilities in various countries | ||
China | Manufactured by Longxin Motorcycle Industry Co., Ltd a subsidiary of Loncin Holdings; uses brand names Italika (Mexico), AKT (Colombia), Viper (Ukraine), Minsk (Russia & Belarus), and Zanella (Argentina) | ||
India | Mahindra Two Wheelers, a division of Mahindra & Mahindra | ||
Italy | KSR Group GmbH (Austria); relaunched 2018 after a 2011 bankruptcy[12] | ||
MBK (formerly Motobécane) | France | ||
Malaysia | Began production in 1996. Kawasaki has a 30% ownership, but Modenas also has commercial relationships with many other Asian brands.[13] | ||
Germany | |||
China | All electric[14] range by Niu Technologies. Early adopters of lithium-ion batteries. | ||
France | |||
Taiwan | Motive Power Industry; originally in collaboration with Piaggio until 1982. Models include Bubu, G-Max, and PMX. Manufacturers of Genuine Scooters's Buddy and Roughhouse models. | ||
Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA.
| ||
Germany/China | German brand of Asian sourced scooters made by Baotian and Jinan Qingqi[15] | ||
China | Made by Qianjiang Motorcycle, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group | ||
Spain | |||
China | Qianjiang Motorcycle | ||
China | Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd | ||
SFM (formerly Sachs) | Germany | ||
Italy | Produced by Aprilia. Initially an Aprilia model introduced in 1993, Scarabeo is now brand in its own right within the Piaggio group. Range has included 50 to 500cc models. | ||
United Kingdom | Scomadi Worldwide Ltd; UK designed, assembled in Thailand with Asian components[16] | ||
Spain | All electric range.[17] SEAT MO 125, white-label product for Silence S01 | ||
Bangladesh | Singer Corporation. Chinese made scooters for the Bangladeshi market, from 2012 | ||
China | Vmoto Soco group, all electric range. | ||
China | Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd | ||
Finland | Solifer Oy; once a manufacturer (1950s-1980s), scooters are now all Chinese imports | ||
Taiwan | |||
Japan | Suzuki Motor Corporation
| ||
Switzerland | Brand of supermarket chain Landi; scooters are Chinese sourced | ||
Taiwan Golden Bee (TGB) | Taiwan | Originally produced Vespa components, TGB now also manufactures CVTs for Piaggio, Rotax, Peugeot Motocycles, Minarelli, Morini, Polaris and SYM. | |
India | Sundaram - Clayton Limited | ||
Germany | All electric range | ||
USA/Poland | USA made electric scooters (2006—2013). Relocated to Poland and back in production in 2015 under GOVECS ownership. | ||
Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA.
| ||
Indonesia | |||
Japan | Yamaha Motor Company
| ||
China | Chongqing Zongshen Power Machinery Company | ||
China | Zhongneng Vehicle Group Co., Ltd.; petrol and electric scooters. Sold under numerous brands including Qianxifeng,[21] Jinlun (worldwide), Lexmoto (UK), Tamoretti (UK, Netherlands), Dorton (Spain), Mondial (Turkey), and in the USA Paparazzi's, Flyscooters, Lance, and BMS. Owners of Moto Morini. | ||
USA | All electric range |